Session 9.5
CASE STUDIES
Introduction
This activity based on case study
situations is about planning for peer group education.
This will allow the group to start thinking about
barriers or difficulties which can occur during their
projects.
Material
• Case studies
• Copy of the 'Step by
Step' check-list (8.5)
Time
2.5 hour
Group size
15 - 25 people
Process
After an introduction and short
discussion about different settings within which peer
group education can take place split the group into
smaller groups. Each group should work with one of
the six case studies which refer to different situations
some are for projects taking place in school or educational
institutions and some in grass roots projects coming
from young people themselves. These can be rewritten
based on local situations relating to intolerance.
Each working group will need a copy of the 'Step
by Step' questions which they should address: These
can be adapted for example if the group need to address
particular aspects like finance or the role of the
coach in more detail. Each working group should plan
a short presentation to share their thoughts, feelings
and discussions about the situation. You should stress
that their discussions should focus on peer group
education as the method.
Case studies
Formal/In school case study
1
You are a teacher, in your
class of 25, there are 8 new pupils who have
come as refugees. They have joined your class
in the past year. Recently there have been problems
in the school playground, the indigenous pupils
harass, mob and tease the newcomers, the new
pupils in defence start to react aggressively,
engaging in fist fights. Although there haven't
been any violent incidents yet you are concerned
that there will be. You would like to launch
a peer group education programme to deal with
this situation.
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Formal/In school case study
2
You are in a school where they
have a ninth grade class with a majority of
immigrants. Lately there have been several feuds
between the immigrants and the other students.
You feel the situation is getting worse and
decide to try and solve this problem. You are
also an immigrant, but you have not taken part
in the feuds. You would like to create a positive
role model for the restless immigrants who don't
feel welcome. You contact your teacher for help
and guidance in setting up a peer group education
programme in your school.
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Informal settings/Out of
school, case study 3
You are a worker in a youth
centre. Nearby a Gypsy camp site is located
and for a number of months every year Gypsy
youth come to use your centre. This creates
friction between them and the young people who
use the club all year round. Each group tries
to mark territory against the other one with
the intention of taking over the youth centre.
Some of the young people come to you and say
that they are tired of this conflict and would
like to make some steps towards a more peaceful
situation. You suggest that a peer group education
project is started at the centre.
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Informal settings/Out of
school, case study 4
You are a youth worker. After
working at the same centre for several years
you have developed good working relationships
with local young people. In recent weeks you
have been working with them on a project about
sex education, one of the group has disclosed
that he is homosexual. He has declared this
to his close friends. Some have told the rest
of the young people and now they are making
jokes and 'freezing him out' of the group. Approximately
1/3 of the members want to set up a peer group
education program to educate the others about
homophobia. They approach you for help.
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Grass roots, case study
5
You are a young person, your
local community has a Jewish Cemetery which
recently has been vandalised, some of the buildings
and memorials have been painted on and smashed.
You feel very bad about this and suspect that
young people are responsible for the damage,
you would like to plan some work which will
help young people understand about Jewish history
and people. You and your friends have come together
to plan a peer group education programme for
other young people.
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Grass roots, case study
6
You are a young person, you
live in a small town where they have just opened
a refugee centre. One night a group of your
peers attack and vandalize the centre. You feel
bad about the situation and decide to take action.
You collect a group of your friend together
who feel the same way as you do, you decide
that your assignment is to create a better understanding
between the refugees and the locals.
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