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Description

Build a shelter from the materials you have, to get an idea of what life can be like for refugees and displaced children.

Supported by Save the Children

Courtesy of The Scout Association
https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/strongest-shelter-challenge/

Resources

A collection of materials to build a shelter (these will vary depending on whether you are building and outdoor or indoor shelter)
A copy of the what makes a good shelter? Information sheet
A copy of the strongest shelter challenge stories

Take it further
Everyone could build their shelter for a camp and try staying in it for a night. They could also think more about the people who live in shelters like these and what their lives might be like. For example, everyone could choose a community of people who have been displaced from their homes, and cook a meal inspired by their cuisine, or learn some words of their language.

This activity helps contribute towards some of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Find out more about the SDGs, and how Scouts across the world are getting involved. https://sdgs.scout.org/

Instructions

Before you begin
1. Gather your equipment and make sure you are in a space that can get wet or where water can drain away.
- For full sized outdoor shelters, you will need the following: tarpaulins, plastic bin bags, gaffer tape, scissors, various lengths of string, plastic sheeting, cardboard, newspaper, thermal blankets, plumbing pipes, bamboo canes, flexible tubing, bedsheets, sandbags/bags of rice, watering can or hose, and water.
- For table top indoor shelters, you will need the following: freezer bags, cocktail sticks, paper straws, tissue paper, tin foil, lolly sticks, elastic bands, sticky tape, scissors, string, dental floss, matchsticks, wax crayons, felt pens, pencils, plastic mini-figures, deep trays, watering can, and water.
2. Download or print a story about refugees or displaced children from the ‘strongest shelter challenge stories’ sheet.
3. Download or print the ‘What makes a good shelter? Information sheet'.

Run the activity
1. Set the scene by talking about having to leave home in a hurry to escape a dangerous situation and ending up without shelter. Ask the group how they would protect themselves and what they might use to build a shelter? Use the ‘What makes a good shelter? Information sheet’ sheet to help.

2. Everyone should split into small groups of no more than six people.

3. Explain to everyone that they’ll be building shelters against the clock, so they’ll need to work as a team and use the materials they have to build a shelter that can stand up to all weather conditions.

4. Explain to everyone that the outdoor shelter should be large enough to fit the entire group in without falling over. If indoors, explain that the table-top shelters should be large enough to protect all of the mini-figures.

5. Everyone should be given a time limit to build the shelter. Younger groups should have 20-30 minutes to complete the task, while older groups should have 15-20 minutes.

6. Everyone should now build their shelters.

7. When they are finished or have run out of time, test each shelter for waterproofing using the watering can or hose. The winner is the group that worked together the best and made a shelter that kept the people or the mini-figures driest.

8. Everyone should gather together in a circle and discuss:
- How difficult did they find the challenge?
- What did they think about when working out how to build their shelter?
- What would it be like to sleep in their shelter outdoors for one night or a whole week?
- How do they feel about the story of the refugees or displaced children who live in temporary camps.


Reflection
- Everyone should think about the problems that refugees and displaced children face. What could be done to make their lives easier? If they had to leave home and move somewhere new, what would they miss about their homes?
- Everyone should have another look at the ‘What makes a good shelter’ sheet. As a team, did they remember to do everything? How could they have worked as a team better?
- Explain to the group that as part of A Million Hands, they’ll be planning and taking action to support young people like the person they just heard about.


Change the level of challenge
- Everyone could work together in one large group to build a big, outdoor shelter large enough for all of them or an indoor, table-top shelter big enough for the same number of mini-figures.
- Older groups could be given less time to finish their shelter, while younger groups may need more time.


ORIGINAL ACTIVITY TEXT:
Setting the scene
Imagine having to leave home in a hurry to escape a dangerous situation and ending up without shelter. How would you protect yourself and what you might you use to build a shelter?
Use the ‘What makes a good shelter? Information sheet’ sheet to help.

The sun will be setting in 30 minutes, and you need to have your shelter in place by then, You need to use the materials you have to build a shelter that can stand up to all weather conditions.
The outdoor shelter should be large enough to fit your family in without falling over. Or if you are making a table-top shelter, it should be large enough to protect all of the mini-figures.
Parents - at the end of the 30 minutes, please test the shelter for waterproofing using the watering can or hose. Hopefully your Scout or the mini figures will still be dry. Please send in photos or videos.

Tags

• international
• shelter building

Badge Links

• Community Impact - Identify
• Community Impact - Identify
• Community Impact - Identify
• Community Impact - Identify
• Outdoors - Bivouac
• The Great Indoors - International