Gemmes workshops

Illustrations from Luce Rungette

Our workshops

Gemmes workshops take place either during schools hours or as part of extra-curricular activities. For the time being, they are only offered in France and Switzerland (in French). They are deep and interactive workshops for young people aged 12 to 24. They provide an opportunity to explore a number of themes, enabling them to better understand themselves as individuals and as part of a group, to analyze their environments, and to become agents of change for the collective well-being.

Our workshops have been developed around four main pillars: Réflexion, Inspiration, Action et Arts. 

OUR WORKSHOPS

WHY INTROSPECTION ?

Before you can understand the outside world, you need to understand what is happening inside yourself.

In our society, we generally work the opposite way round: first we learn about a subject, or how to do a job, or the way the world works, and only much later do some people start a process of “personal development”. As a result, opportunities for introspection are often offered or adapted exclusively to adults.

However, self-knowledge ought to be an integral part of learning offered to young people, especially during such a crucial and complex period as adolescence.

"Building courage in me” Workshop

Why Inspiration ?

Inspiration feeds our interaction with the world and gives us momentum. Inspiration starts by looking at and connecting with what is around us.

Then we try to understand, analyse, and feel what clicks with us: observing what disturbs us, what excites us, what we would like to change, what we would like to participate in.

"The World and Me” Workshop

Why Action ?

Wanting change and imagining it are important steps. However, we need to be able to move on to achieving real and collective change, each at his or her own level, in order to live it fully.

If the Gemmes workshops offer keys to transforming young people’s ideas into action, you are already becoming active by participating in the program.

"Videos for change" Workshop

Why Arts ?

The arts are at the heart of the Gemmes programs because they links concepts together and illustrate them in a different and often more accessible way. The arts help participants to connect with their emotions, and to express them to convey a stronger message.

The arts also stimulate our thinking in a different way, calling on our imagination and creativity. It is also a call to action, moving us forward and transforming an idea or message into reality. Last but not least, artistic activities are a time of unity and shared joy.

"Slam poetry" Workshop

Format and workshops

Lorsque les ateliers Gemmes sont dispensés durant le temps scolaire au collège ou au lycée, ils sont combinés au dispositif SPARKS dans le cadre d’un parcours Gemmes : atelier « Bâtir le courage en moi » + dispositif SPARKS + atelier artistique en fin d’année.

Lorsque les ateliers Gemmes sont dispensés durant le temps extra-scolaire, ils peuvent être combinés et organisés sur un à cinq jours. Les ateliers sont adaptés pour des jeunes entre 12 et 24 ans.

Atelier « Bâtir le courage en moi »

Assist participants to :  

  • Understand courage: grasping its different aspects to use it in everyday life.
  • Embrace challenges: gaining a better understanding of how one functions personally to better face adversity.
  • Boost self-confidence: encouraging self-esteem and awareness of one's ability to act. 

The workshop is divided into several themes, presented at the start of the session. Each notion is then worked on in plenary or in small groups through individual and collective reflection exercises.

Standard format: half-day
Extensive format: full day 

  1. Take a positive view of oneself
  2. Develop a growth mindset and greater confidence in one’s ability to learn and improve
  3. Better understand the difference between courage and unnecessary risk-taking
  4. Dare to accept the challenge of learning, to commit despite unpleasant feelings, the uncertainty of the outcome, and the potential but measured danger it entails
  5. Become aware of, name, understand, and regulate one’s emotions
  6. Increase one’s capacity to act by developing self-compassion
  7. Know how to ask for help
  8. Boost perseverance and value the sense of effort
  9. Celebrate personal achievements (gems discovered or polished) and those of others 

Gemmes facilitators

Atelier « Le monde et moi »

Encourage participants to think about their inner qualities, their relationship to others, their place in the world, and the role they can play in improving their environment.
This workshop is based on the SPARKS material but facilitated directly by the Gemmes team. Participants are invited to question themselves through discussion, games and the sharing of experiences. The session concludes with the construction of positive solutions that can be applied at their own level.

4 to 8 hours per pair of themes.  

  • "Empathy and Responsibility"
  • "Identity and Inclusion"
  • "Resilience and Collaboration"
  • "Social Justice and Solidarity"  

Gemmes facilitators

Atelier « Vidéo vers le changement »

In a small group, produce an inspiring one-minute video to raise individual and collective awareness of a social issue.

Each participant is asked to :

• Find a theme that interests and inspires all group members
• Learn to be a source of positive solutions in line with the chosen theme
• Transform their thoughts into action, cultivating creativity and courage
• Learn to organize as a group
• Learn to search for information
• Learn new tools and different ways of expressing yourself

Each group is supported in its choice of theme and approach. Participants are guided and assisted by a facilitator, but encouraged to organize themselves independently.

6 à 8 6 to 8 hours.  

• Choice of theme and construction of message
• Storyboard creation and introduction to filming
• Guide to finding information
• Defining roles and creating content
• Finishing editing with the Gemmes video editor

Gemmes facilitators

Atelier « Poésie urbaine »

To express and embody societal themes in an artistic language.

The program is adapted to the level of participants. During the first sessions, participants are encouraged to work on poetic writing and expression. The approach is both individual and collective. The texts are then set to music, and recorded for the creation of a unique collective piece.

6 to 8 hours.

• Creative writing
• Training in declamation
• Recording and setting to music

Gemmes facilitators including one specialized in slam poetry.


"It's rare that we get so much out of a mentor time slot at school ! [...] I would like to thank you for coming this morning; the workshop was very rich, and there were a variety of approaches for the students."
A teacher

"There was a great atmosphere, they presented it so well, it was so good I just loved it!"
Clara, 14 years old

"I discovered lots of points of view and concepts that helped me grow and reflect on myself (...) I felt happy and educated when I came out of this camp."
Célia, 14 years oldParticipant
"The theme of courage and the way in which it was approached were very appropriate for our youth, and the more 'artistic' workshop was a great way of encouraging self-expression and creating a beautiful memory. [...] It was a wonderful culmination to our project, which aims to help young people learn to look at themselves in a more positive light."
Program managerChild protection

"Well done, too, for guiding the children away from binary thinking patterns and for helping them to look at the world in a subtle way."
Mother of a participant
"The camp was incredibly well organized and the animators are really top notch! (...) I learned a lot during the camp. For example, the three short videos we created as a group taught me to see certain things differently."
Iris, 13 years oldParticipant
"In the ‘World and me’ workshop, the part about inclusion and unity gave me a greater vision of the world and changed my way of thinking. My favorite workshop was ‘slam poetry’ because I'm glad I was able to write and find inspiration to send a positive message."
Timéo, 15 years oldParticipant

"I was able to debate on some very interesting topics and put my qualities to good use in the group. I realized that we are all connected"
Océane, 14 years oldParticipant
"During these camps, they develop their gift of creativity, listening, sharing, helping each other, a sense of unity that is concretized in a concrete project like the slam, thank you. My wish is that as many young people as possible can benefit one day from these camps, so that they can let their hearts and talents express themselves."
Mother of a participant

Contribution

The price of the workshops depends on their duration, the number of facilitators required and the location.

Chez Gemmes, nous ne voulons pas que le prix soit un obstacle à la participation.
Si nécessaire, Gemmes peut subventionner certains établissements n’ayant pas la possibilité de payer l’intégralité du coût des ateliers.

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