Facilitating Role Plays

Why use role plays? Unlike case studies, in which trainees carefully analyze a situation before responding, role plays require trainees to react to situations in the moment. In addition, role plays help facilitate transfer of learning by giving participants opportunities to practice in a safe, non-threatening environment where it is permissible to make mistakes and to receive targeted feedback and support. Preparing for the activity 1. Read the Role Cards. If necessary, adapt the Role Cards to make them more consistent with the situations that MATCH professionals are likely to encounter in their workplace 2. Make as many copies of the Role Cards as needed and cut them apart. Each role play group should have one Outsider, one Meeting Leader, and up to 3 additional Participants. Ideal group size is 5-6 participants. Decide if you will assign roles or distribute them randomly. Either way, make sure that:  Within each group, none of the Participants have the same job title as the Meeting Leader (e.g., if Meeting Leader is the Executive Director, remove the Executive Director Participant card.)  Each group has an Outsider.  Each group includes one person playing the role of the MATCH professional – either as the Meeting Leader or as a Participant.

Conducting the activity 1. Introduce the activity and outline the role-play instructions. Emphasize that role- playing provides participants with an opportunity to apply their knowledge, skills, and tools in situations that simulate actual client interactions. 2. Break participants into groups of 4-6. Provide each group member with a Role Card. Clarify expectations for the Outsider, and explain that the MATCH professional in the role play may pause the role play to ask the Outsider for help, or trade places with the Outsider. 3. Give the groups 10 minutes to conduct the role play. Circulate among the groups to answer any questions that may arise and provide guidance as needed. 4. Instruct each group to discuss the role play:  How did it feel? What worked well?What feels awkward and requires more practice?  Were there issues or questions that you did not know how to address? Then ask the Outsider to provide feedback:  Can you share some examples of interesting interactions and creative solutions that you observed in the role plays?  What did the MATCH professional do in this situation that was effective?  What might the MATCH professional consider doing differently?