Every Voice Matters

How do we make sure everyone has a real chance to participate and be heard?

I’m currently en route to Billund, Denmark, in London on transfer, to deliver a few workshops on deltagelsesmulighed, the Danish educational term for “opportunity to participate” or equality of opportunity. I’m honoured to be invited back again to work with educators and facilitators through Erasmus+ Invited Expert on this essential question with Euromentor SL.

My workshop title is P(l)ay Attention and the focus will be on how we can engage all participants and design learning so that every person has the chance to take part, contribute, and grow.

With my background in applied theatre and participatory methodologies, I will invite the participants to explore this topic through

play,
movement,
and collaborative games.
Yay!

This is something I will be working on with teachers and students in the classroom this week, but it’s a theme that shows up everywhere: in teams, in communities, in workshops, in meetings, no matter the industry.

From facilitation trainings from Julia last year to Piera‘s talk at Bansko Nomad Fest in June to conversations with friends and colleagues in different industries, the same challenge keeps appearing: how do we create conditions where all voices are heard, not just the loudest or quickest?

Here are three easy tips I’d like to share with you:

\1. Give time to think before sharing. A simple “take 30 seconds to reflect, then discuss in pairs” changes who speaks and what gets said.
\2. Use a variety of materials. Sticky notes, digital boards, drawing, or short written responses open up more ways to participate than speaking alone.
\3. Build in small-group work before whole-group sharing. This lowers the stakes and helps more people find their voice.

These are small shifts, but they add up. They signal that people’s thinking matters, that there is more than one way to engage, and that the space is designed for everyone.

PS here is a photo of my current work set up during transfer in London. 53 unread emails… not bad at all!

#education #inclusion #participation #deltagelsesmulighed #facilitation #teachertraining #classroompractice #ERASMUS+ #learningthroughplay #inclusivedesign