Earlier this year, myself and Michael Gerhard, a South African facilitator and environmental consultant, where invited to co-design and facilitate a Just Transition Conference in Cape Town. The event was co-hosted by the Presidential Climate Change Commission of South Africa, I-CAT, and the World Resource Institute.
The brief ……to design a creative and engaging experience that would help +/- 60 participants from around the world, manage and understand the complex topic, whilst engaging all voices to broaden understanding of regional contexts, challenges and opportunities.
The overall goal was to engage a diverse group of experts from diverse backgrounds who were tasked to strengthen the network and its efficacy. Our role was to catalyze the potential in the room, and to invite participants to explore how to carry both local and global collaboration forward in the future
Over a two-and-a-half-day workshop we utilizIed the PLAYMOBIL pro & Pro.Play method and hosted +/- 60 participants helping to connect, inspire and catalyze sector specific conversations.
This approach enabled participants to visualize various concepts and factors pertinent to the emerging sector. The Pro.Play method offered a powerful way for participants to share their individual experiences, which acted as puzzle pieces that, when holistically understood, were essential to the participants successfully identifying and developing collaborative solutions together.
Our Pro.Play interventions occurred on day 1 and day 3. On the 1st day we designed individual modeling interventions that created a “safe Space” to share their own personal drivers towards this important topic.
Initial Introductions using 3 elements to introduce yourself in a literal, metaphorical, and fantastic way. By doing so, participants were given creative license to model in various ways to introduce themselves to table participants.
After the leadership team then contextualized the aim of the meeting, delegates were guided through a process that involved individually Mapping personal and professional journey into Just Transition using predesigned A3 imaginary Map templates. As they mapped this journey ,they were given time to internally reflect on their knowledge, experience, and feelings about JT monitoring within the context of their countries and institutions. The templet offered different terrains and biospheres that everyone could use to metaphorically identify the highs and lows of their journey.
On the 2nd day, participants focused on various technical presentations, panels and discussions that broadened the understanding of what is happening in various aspects of Just Transition Monitoring
On day 3, we divided the group into regional Breakout Groups, and each team was tasked to co-create a model that would help them explore current and potential factors in the sectors emergent future. By inviting participants to represent challenges , and opportunities, by using elements inside the PlayMobil Pro kit, we witnessed levels of high levels of engagement as participants could literally map out potential futures.
The groups were invited to observe their table model, extract insights and choose an action that they could individually tale back to their region.
To conclude a Gallery moment enabled a plenary share from each table allowing the leadership team to draw patterns and similarities noticed into the final conclusions of the gathering.
The workshop achieved its objectives, with participants reporting new perspectives, demonstrating unified team dynamics, and contextual collaborative solutions. The use of PLAYMOBIL pro & Pro.Play method helped to:
– Facilitate cross-cultural understanding, allowing participants to learn from each other’s experiences
– Develop context-dependent approaches, recognizing the importance of tailoring theories of change to specific contexts.
– Foster effective communication, using clear, figurative, and literal language to focus on hopes for the future.
– Engage in complex systems thinking, considering power relations and mental models when measuring output and outcome.
– Introduce the value of leading indicators in measuring progress and keeping the promise and spirit of change alive.
– Create an embodied learning experience, incorporating the explorative power of Play to engage participants on a deeper level.
