ROUTE

Training group in Cyprus. Trainer: Roulla Demetriou.

The trainer invites the group to a symbolic journey through the workshop program implemented yet. Her goal is to freshen memories and reveal the whole process of group work, the most important and successful experiences, and key moments. Participants first close their eyes and think back to subsequent meetings, trying to recall the saved images and activities. Then they share their reflections - everyone talks about what they fond most memorable. Their task is also to imagine, and show using gestures and movement, their participation in the course, like a path with a specific shape - Their very own "topography". Many different concepts are demonstrated climbing stairs, a straight line, conquering mountainous slopes, a labyrinth.

The second phase of the process reconstruction requires all the workshop participants to work together. They are tasked with laying out a path, using multi-coloured scarves, and the entire space of the room. They must work together and agree on one version of the image that everyone accepts, even though each has their own subjective feelings and impressions. This is excellent for training skills like cooperation, compromise, and communication. On the floor a road with many turns comes together. The trainer repeatedly asks the participants whether they are satisfied with the result, or would like something changed or added. Some people benefit from this opportunity. The next task for the whole team will be to mark the boundaries between the different sessions, and identify each workshop using any objects in the room. Participants, together with the coach, discuss and remind each other of what has happened at various stages of the program, and which exercises and games for them were important. The coach encourages the group to seek creative signs and symbols to best express the meaning and atmosphere of each session. The people present at each particular session are responsible for creating that session's representation. The rest, observing and listening, have an opportunity to learn about activities in which they hadn't participated.

When the image is finally formed, the trainer asks the participants to individually and silently walk the path, turning their thoughts at each stage to those situations and experiences which held meaning for them. Then, in small groups, they prepare short impromptu presentations illustrating each of the sessions on the path. Through movement, sound, and words, they try to present some specific incident which is particularly representative of each given workshop, to reproduce the atmosphere, showing their emotions. The participants task also includes joining in with others. All activities presented are discussed, and some exercises are quickly repeated, so those absent during the earlier classes can understand something of their nature.

The final activity of the workshop is a symbolic illustration of the ongoing nature of the session by creating live sculptures. Participants shape themselves in way which reflects their feelings. The coach briefly summarises the whole exercise.
- This is our journey together, where each had his own place, and was part of a group. Today we looked on our achievements, the awareness that we have developed, which will help us in our work.
At the end, each participant, in one word, explains what they feel at that moment, thereby closing the symbolic journey.

The path technique is a very good way to repeat the experience and knowledge which the group has gained during the implementation of the educational program or workshop. It may also be a test of practical skills - giving participants a chance to present selected exercises and tasks in their own ways. The activity has a multi-layered structure allowing for in-depth analysis of the individual steps in the process of working together and solidifying understanding. Another variation of this exercise is to build an individual path for each participant. In this version there are many different variants of the same educational experience. Each focuses on what is best remembered, and repeating the main themes helps to consolidate the acquired knowledge.