During this exercise people share who they are and their motivation or ambitions for the future. This is who I am involves individuals writing or drawing something significant which they want to share with others in the group about their past, future and present.
Resources: A4 paper, pens
Time: 30-40 minutes
Group Size: 8-16 people
This is Who I Am Instructions
- Hand each person 3 sheets of A4 paper and a pen. Get them to write at the top of the first sheet: past, the second sheet: present and the third sheet: future.
- Now underneath each word, they should write or draw something significant related to the word which they want them to share with others in the group. Under past, they might write something like: ‘travelling, London and university’. Allow 5 to 10 minutes to complete this part of the exercise.
- Ask your group to sit in an inward facing circle. Taking it turns, each person should now give a brief explanation of their 3 sheets of paper and give everyone else in the group a sense of who they are. Try to aim for no more than 3 minutes person (if you have more than 10 people reduce the time to 2 minutes per person).
Tips and Guidance
You can use this exercise as a way of introducing yourself at the start of a workshop to a new group of learners. Before you begin, write past, present and future at the top of a sheet of flip-chart paper and as before either write or draw key points related to those words. When the group arrive for the workshop, spend time introducing yourself using the flip-chart paper as a prompt and expanding on the points.
This is who I am can also be done with teams. Get the group to work together to write a team version by looking back on previous experiences and highlighting the team’s past and present, and identifying where they would like to be in the future. You can use this exercise to set team goals and development plans.
