Running your POP-UP
Before Participants Arrive
We suggest you start by setting out all the stations and materials in one place.
Then, move the materials to set up each station.
When Participants Arrive
Depending on the size of your group, and if there is one set starting time, it may be useful to gather the group together.
Explain very briefly… edit this text to suit:
“Welcome!!
We are here to play and learn at this POP-UP Festival of emotions, wellbeing, and children’s rights. This month, the United Nation is celebrating Universal Children’s Day to recognize the progress the world is making toward the realization of universal rights for all children. And, as you probably know, we have more work to do in this regard. So, we’re here to learn and share together. How can we become more aware of emotions, and use our awareness to improve wellbeing for individuals and all of us together?
At the Festival, you’ll see many activity stations. In the next ___ (hour), you’re free to explore, play, discuss, and learn by going to as many of the stations as you’d like, and trying the activities. You’ll see each one has questions to discuss.
I’d like to introduce you to our wonderful volunteers who will be helping with the stations. We’re all here to play and learn together — none of us is an expert, we’re all here to learn together. But the volunteers had the advantage of reading the instructions carefully already, so they can help you jump into the exercises.
At the end, we’ll come back together here.
Let’s explore!”
You can put on some music and encourage people to join the stations.
If you have sufficient volunteers who are prepared in advance, they can each stand or sit at one station or between two, and encourage people: “This is a fun activity where you learn new emotion words, want to come and try it?”
Also take pictures of your hard work and the participants enjoying the activities. Share your photos on social media and remember to tag Six Seconds (you can find social media guidelines here).
You can likewise interact. Join the games. Ask questions. Make discoveries. Laugh. Dance. Wonder. Enjoy!
As participants prepare to leave, remember to give them their Take Home Kit (more information HERE).
Optionally, bring the group back together and facilitate a reflection on the experience:
“Please make a small group and discuss: What is one thing you learned at this festival? How will that help you… as a parent… student… person… ?”
Depending on the size of your group, after they’ve discussed in small groups, you might ask for a few people to share their answers to above.
If time allows, you might ask them to discuss in their small groups, or new small groups: “Following this experience, what is one action step you want to take to use emotions more carefully… or to increase wellbeing… or to strengthen human rights?”
Again, optionally, you could get a few answers shared with the whole group.
Thank your group and close the festival.
Hopefully, you have some volunteers who have agreed to help clean up after the festival. Make sure you leave the space even nicer than it was when you started.
Also remember to thank your volunteers for all the hardwork that they put into helping the POP-UP Festival happen.