We invented this in response to trainers asking us: what do you do with a group that is genuinely clueless about its racism (sexism/homophobia/ etc.)? We found it works with low-consciousness groups and has tremendous value for experienced activist groups, too.

A diversity tool also known as Crossing the Line, this one is best used with a buddy system and placed in a workshop after considerable safety is built. It's sometimes the most powerful experience participants have in a workshop, about the social construction of oppression.

A physical exercise to help participants stand up for themselves -- literally. It's a great way to help margins stand up for themselves and mainstreams become more conscious and less stuck in shame.

A activity to help groups look at mainstream/margin dynamics. This simple tool can uncover a deeper level of understanding of how mainstream/margin operates in that group.

Three related tools to help any group interact with its own margin. A good workshop provides opportunities for mainstream people to get new information about margins, in a way that goes below the surface and involves the emotional learning channel. The expectation is that, by highlighting the experience of a few margins in a dramatic way, participants will learn that they need to become pro-active in order to be fair with people on the margins. Similarly, the experience of powerfully speaking often increases the margins' self-confidence and clarity.

This tool out of the field of "adventure-based learning" is an effective team-building exercise. We've had success with it in Thailand, Burma, Russia, Canada and more -- that's why it's one of our favorites.

This tool is a quick, easy tool that is effective at helping groups understand the different roles in making groups work: different leadership skills. Its based on a piece of feminist theory that understands different leadership skills: Task and Maintenance.

A physical strategy tool: to assist groups in understanding more deeply the internal and external forces that impact their organization's success.

In this exercise participants are given a chance to consider strategic responses to a specific scenario. Subgroups take roles and challenge each other to come up with smart strategic choices.

Campaigns don't win all at once - they win through taking successful steps. Being able to break down the steps towards winning is a key skill for successful strategizing. This tool gives participants challenge and practice in setting stepping stones along the way and sequencing those to lead to a win.

A roleplay is an improvised dramatic enactment of a problem situation in order to find new and creative ways to respond. This may be done in preparation for an anticipated situation or for evaluating a past one.

If your workshop is going to invite people out of their comfort zones where real learning takes place, participants often need support to take risks. The buddy system is one support tool.

What's a workshop without some games? Well.... anyways, here are some of our favorites gathered from training around the world.(also known as ice breakers, light and livelies)

A favorite tool! Maximize/Minimize Learning is a powerful tool to help participants take responsibility for their own learning and identify personal strategies for them to make the most of the training. Given that people have been taught not to take ownership of their own learning, this tool helps people take that ownership back.

One of our favorite tools to push group's outside of their comfort zone, build confidence, and practice reclaiming a lost art.

"Without a vision the people perish" | This tool has worked in every culture where we've tried it so far, for increasing unity in a group, opening its creativity, and assisting protest groups to say what they're for as well as what they're against.

How could young activists nonviolently overthrow Yugoslav dictator Slobodan Milosevic? This experiential tool shows the dynamics of mass noncooperation, and can be used by any group that wants to learn more about democratic power.

An updated version of the commonly used "nonviolence spectrums." Use this tool to help a group looks at its diversity of opinion on issues related to nonviolence along with see unexpected commonalities and similarities.

In nonviolent action there are three applications: social change, social defense and third-party nonviolent intervention. Different movements may utilize different techniques depending on which of these applications they use. In this interactive teaching tool, we make use of "relay races" to assist participants to better understand these applications. Great for introduction to nonviolence, or a strategic planning workshop!

Use role-plays in your training? This skills arena gives participants maximum practice and feedback repeatedly. This tool was created by Daniel Hunter and George Lakey especially for the training manual and is one of their favorites.

Three applications of nonviolent action: social change, social defense, third-party nonviolent intervention. How are they different? How does TPNI differ from the other types -- and how does that different show up in the field? This exercise addresses those questions.

A major way to reduce burnout is to prepare people for the stresses, especially the stress of returning home after work away from home. This is a way to visualize issues of stress/trauma in the field and dealing with re-entry -- and with gummy bears! It is used for groups internationally, but can be adapted to most any setting where stress is a factor.

What to do when confronted with a crowd ready to riot or an imminent police invasion? Well, if you're alone or only in a small group: get allies! In this exercise participants get to practice enlisting allies rapidly through quick glances and trying different techniques.