• Reflecting on the situation of young people with fewer opportunities.
• Increasing empathy.
• Discussing about prejudice.

Duration : 1 hour

Provide to the participants an imaginary character, whose profile is described on a card you will give them randomly. Ask them to keep it secret: they should neither show their character to the others, neither swap them. All the characters are doubled, but the participants don’t know it.

Invite them then to get into their role. Leave them a few minutes to picture their character, using a set of questions:
- How old are you?
- Where do you live?
- What is/was your job?
- Do you have a degree? Which kind?
- What is your social status?
- How much do you earn per month/per year?
- What motivates you in life? What scares you?
- How do you feel in your community? in your family ? with your friends ?
- Are you rather shy? talkative? Self-confident?
- Do you take initiatives easily?
- Do people take into consideration what you say?

Ask the participants to line up next to each other in the middle of the room.
Explain them that you will read up several statements, that are situations or events their character might encounter.
Whenever they are able to answer “yes” to the statement, they should take a step forward; Whenever they believe they should answer “no” to the statement or they don’t feel concerned, they should stay where they are.

Read the several statements, with a little break between each of them. Ask the participants to remember how they reacted to the situations.

When you finished, leave a few minutes for the participants to get out of their character and to connect with their feelings. Start the debriefing by asking them how they felt during the exercise:
- How did you connect with your character?
- Did some statements remember you some situations you experienced in the past?
- Regarding those who made many steps forward: When did you realize that others were not moving as you did? How did you felt?
- How did you felt when you were not being able to move? Was your feeling stronger when you saw that some others were making a step forward?
- What kind of social difficulties are facing the characters?
- Can you identify important things to keep in mind when supporting these kind of young people?

Finish by calling each character by its name. Invite the two participants that had the same one to discuss about the differences in their position if pertinent.

• Cards for each characters (2/character)
• Big space, can be outside as well.

The participants better understand the situations young people with fewer opportunities are facing and the various ways discriminations and prejudices can take shape. They connect with their own experience and reflect on how they can better support young people with fewer opportunities in their learning and socio-professional journey.

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Samia (Female) 20 years old. I come from a small town in the mountains. I arrived in Europe only a year ago. I didn’t finish high school because I had to help my parents in the fields. I am looking for a job and learning the local language in night classes.

Corto (Male) 24 years old. I come from a western European middle class family. I became blind when I was young but I have always received help from the state. Thanks to what I managed to finish my university degree. I am currently living in the city.

Francesca (Female) 18 years old. I live in a small village, I am about to finish high school and I would like to go to university but my parents don’t have enough money to send me to the city. I am looking for a grant.

Mirana (Male) 30 years old. I arrived in Greece when I was 18. I am Albanian from Bektachi family (Sufi dervish order). I am very attached to my traditions but they are not very well considered in the town I am leaving now. I have a part-time job and I have trouble finding a more stable situation.

Saïd (Male) 22 years old. I grew up in the suburbs of a big city. I have always lived here but the media and the police picture me as foreigner. I come from a big family, I have 4 siblings. I finished high school and started working immediately to help my family. I only find jobs in the construction industry with daily contracts. I am a devoted Muslim but in my country these beliefs are assimilated with terrorism.

Alioune (Male) 21 years old. I just arrived in Europe after many months of traveling. I have no regular papers.

Adriana (Female) 19 years old. I am a young unemployed mother. My husband is a truck driver for an international company so he is often the road. I live with my parent’s farm.

Batchi (Male) 25 years old. I am a young Rom. I finished many years ago high school with very good grades but I only find part-time jobs for small periods. Usually people think I live on the road even if I have been living in the same city for more than 15 years.

Lucia (Female) 23 years old. I just finished my master degree in Physics. My parents wanted me to continue with a PHD but I don’t want to become a researcher. I want to find a meaningful job in a small organization. Since I took this decision my parents don’t support me any more.

David (Male) 26 years old I live with my parents. They help me a lot and are very caring. I spend a lot of time home because I need help to go out as I am in a wheelchair.

Nelly (Female) 20 years old. My parents died when I was very young. My sister and I grew up in foster families. I work in seasonally in the fields.

Camila (Female) 27 years old. My parents are refugees in Europe, they arrived many years ago. They don’t speak very well the local language but they managed to have a small restaurant. They are expecting me to continue with the family business but I would like to do something else.

Sandra (Female) 20 years old. I am a lesbian women. I fled my home after my coming out and I live now in a state home. I drink from time to time. I don’t know a lot of people in this new place.

Roger (Male) 30 years old. I have a regular job in a factory for people with disabilities. I live in a medico-social house and I have a lot of help from a social worker. I don’t go out very much because I have some difficulties to speak even though I love meeting new people. —-

1. You feel confident about your future.
2. Your basic needs are fulfilled: eating, sleeping, etc
3. You feel accepted in your community.
4. You can easily practice your religion and live according to your traditions and beliefs.
5. You can easily travel.
6. You benefit from social and medical welfare.
7. You don’t feel discriminated.
8. You have access to quality information about what is happening in your community.
9. When you speak people listen to you.
10. You are making your own choices about the way you want to live your life.
11. You have feel harassed or attacked by people in the street or by the media.
12. You know what your rights are and how to fight for them.
13. You feel comfortable when dealing with institutions.
14. You can speak about your personal path without fear.
15. You feel proud about your professional path.
16. You can face financially unexpected situations.
17. You know how to look for pertinent information when you need it.
18. You live in a safe environment.
19. You feel supported.
20. You have time for leisure.