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Description

One way to understand a faith or culture is to step into someone else’s shoes and visit the place they practice it.

Courtesy of The Scout Association
https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/interacting-with-faiths-and-cultures/

Resources

Take it further
This activity is a great way to introduce the Cub International, Global Issues, and World Faiths Activity Badges.


Youth shaped guidance
Everyone should be able to take an active role in choosing the faith and culture to explore, and helping plan the visit.

Instructions

Planning your visit
The best place to start is where you’re at – wherever you usually meet. The best visits are the ones where everyone mucks in to plan together, helping to decide which faiths or cultures they’d like to learn more about. To learn about a faith or culture you have to ask why so you can start to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

To begin exploring a faith, think about its key beliefs, important practices such as fasting or wearing special clothes, and important dates. If you choose a culture, explore traditional arts and crafts, dancing, clothes, and music. Leaning isn’t just about words, it’s about getting stuck in – see what the clothes feel like, hear the beat of the music, and taste the flavours of the food.

When it comes to planning the trip, it’s all up to you. Let everyone have their say through a Forum, or go online to find out where people gather in your local area. You could also email parents and carers for their recommendations – you never know who’ll have the perfect piece of advice. The National Scout Active Support Faith Units are the best people to chat to if you want to know more about a particular faith. You can reach them through the Scouts website here.


Before you go
To get the most out of your trip, do some preparation before you go.

- Make sure everyone knows about the dress code – do you need to make sure your clothing is appropriate and respectful?
- Think about any questions you have – it’s great to think on your feet, but it’s also good to be prepared. What do you want to find out?
- Look at other buildings used by the religion or culture around the world. Do they have any features in common (for example, stained glass windows or domed roofs)? Note them down (drawing is fine) to take with you on your visit. Do you think the place your visiting will have any of the things on your list?


While you’re there
It’s up to you to make the most of your visit by opening your eyes, ears, and mind. This is a great time to ask questions – just make sure you listen to the answers, and try to see things from their point of view. Remember that beliefs and communities are very important to a lot of people, so it’s important to be respectful, especially if we don’t understand something.

Visits to new places are also a great time to use all your senses to notice what’s around you – what about colours, smells, textures, and sounds? Does anything stand out to you? Is anything familiar? How do you feel?


Safety: Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Tags

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Badge Links

• World - Faith/culture
• World Faiths - Visit