Here’s a copy of a blogpost from www.communityplanningishere.org about how Perry helped with the DEMOCS card method in Northern Ireland. This project aims to raise awareness of the new power of Community Planning in Antrim and Newtownabbey, Newry Mourne and Down, and Mid and East Antrim Borough Councils.

Participatory Card Games 

We are working with pupils from Abbey Community College to develop and design a Participatory Card Game focusing on the themes of Skills and Employment. The card game will help pupils to think about the different opportunities and pathways which they can choose to be ‘successful’ in life. This will mean different things for different people and the card game should enable a range of discussions to take place.

The card game will facilitate pupils to:

  • consider the skills and attributes they will need to ‘be successful’
  • explore information and key statistics in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Area and across the region
  • reflect on inspirational quotes
  • reflect and learn from real case studies of the different pathways people have taken in their chosen careers.

Pupils participated in a workshop to help design and prepare the content of the card game on Thursday 07 April 2016. They also put forward a range of suggestions for the name of the Card Game. Many of the suggestions drew on the college’s motto – Believe, Achieve, Succeed.

It was agreed that the Card Game would be  called  ‘Pathways to Achieve and Succeed’
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The Card Game in Action

A number of pupils from Year 10, Year 11 and Year 13 took part in playing the card game. Here are some of their comments on participating:

  • “I think it is a good way to open your mind and make you think about your area in a different way.”
  • “I really loved playing this game it really opens your eyes to what the business world is really like.”
  • “I think this game was brilliant because it got you to think and make decisions.  It gave everyone the chance to speak up and have their say about particular topics.  It would have boosted peoples’ confidence to talk with others.  Very enjoyable.”
  • “I enjoyed playing the game and think that a lot of people would enjoy it and be able to learn from it.”