1. Getting to Know You Notes to Trainer:
Although this is designed to be an icebreaker activity for the participants, it is also an important skill—giving participants an opportunity to talk about their strengths. Research has demonstrated that this exercise has helped people handle stress better and reduce defensiveness by talking about what they value. BUT, a detailed description or even explaining the rationale behind the activity can lessen its impact. Your goal is just to facilitate the exercise as a way to get to know them, but not do an extensive debrief or even explain why we ask them to talk about their strengths and values. This is a good opportunity to get to know the participants, but it is also a part of the intervention. DO NOT provide your own example, as participants may just use something similar.
Timing for Activity (20 minutes total)
Introduction of Trainer and Activity: 2-3 minutes
Activity: 18 minutes (includes minutes of time to work individually on the exercise and 5 minutes to discuss with a partner).
Getting to Know You

2. Getting To Know You
In your participant guide, look at the list of values and strengths:
Which ones matter most to you?
Which do you most naturally use to guide your choices?
Circle the two or three values most important to you.
Instructions to Participants:
The purpose of this exercise is to help me get to know you a bit. We are all resilient in our own ways but many of us never really identify the strengths and values we use to be our most resilient selves” This first exercise is a great starting point for exploring resilience and help you get to know other people in the class.
In your participant guide is a list of values. Which ones matter most to you? Which do you most naturally use to guide your choices? Circle the two or three values most important to you.
(Note: List in participant guide )

3. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or how well written it is!
Getting To Know You
Next, look at the values you selected as most important to you.
Think about a time those values were most important to you.
In a few sentences, describe why these values are important.
Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or how well written it is!
Take a few minutes to discuss with a partner
Instructions to Participants:
Now, look at the values you select. I want you to think about a time those values were most important to you, and write down why those values were important. How did those values help you? I want you to write this down so you can really be thoughtful about it, so take a few minutes to write down when and why those values are important.
After you are finished, take a few minutes to discuss what you wrote with a partner.
Note to Trainer:
In this exercise, it is important that the participants write down their answers. In many of the activities, writing down their responses is not as important, but in this one, participants should take 10 minutes or so to write down their response. Then, they can discuss with a partner for 5 minutes.
Remember, don’t try to ‘explain’ this exercise. There is no need to debrief this activity—just give the participants an opportunity to reflect on the values that are most important to them.