the roof and refused to come down or talk. They threw the sheet back and shouted back,
“I’m not a bloody jelly baby!” but the conversation had begun, and eventually, after
more talk they came down. Pip remembers using the Blob Tree with a young adult so
unable to speak that they were only able to point at the Blobs for their answers.
With someone who is very articulate – maybe even yourself – the Blobs can be disarmingly simple. Their potential comes from providing each one of us with the means to
ask the same question of ourselves as the person we are working with.
There have been many times where the questions and the answers have come from the
people I am working with, not from myself. The pictures spark off ideas, especially if
they have a visual context or relate in some way to a recent event which the group have
been involved in.
Settings for using the Blobs
When planning for the Blobs it is very important to consider the room, what people feel
comfortable with and the setting for your activity. We have all been in a cinema where
the chair was so uncomfortable that it spoilt our enjoyment of the film. It is important,
where possible, to minimise distractions so that the key purpose of the meeting is the
focus.
Something to come to: make sure people know where your group is and what it’s
about. Posters, Facebook, word of mouth, and leaflet it so that your target group know
when and where and what. Blobs can be used in the ad…visuals make people think
Somewhere to sit: for some groups it will be on soft cushions, for others it will be on
chairs behind desks. Think about the arrangement of the room so that everyone will be
able to see the Blobs, and can contribute to the discussions with a partner/ whole group.
Sometimes a cosy collapse into sofas can have the opposite effect to the one you want.
It may be that a circle of hard chairs with a low level candle-lit table will create a more
reflective atmosphere for your group. Age will be a key factor here. A mixed age group
may require a range of seats! Arrange the room so that everyone can see everyone else,
and so that everyone feels val ued and included.
Blob
YMCA
Training
Manual
You
are
a
beautiful
human
person