We’re developing Midline Masterpiece as one of the many activities in the Youth Resource Manual (YRM), an added asset for the Rural India Youth Leadership Program. The objective of the activity was to enhance teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills among youth participants by creating a unified drawing while respecting individual boundaries. While the description explains the purpose, participants or observers best understand it through direct involvement. I’ll be sharing some pictures to give you a better sense of what Midline Masterpiece it’s all about.
“Alright folks, time to get artsy! Who is ready to Picasso their way through this?”
“When two creative minds collide, anything can happen. Let the masterpiece making begin!”
“Every great work of art starts with a single line … or a scribble. We’re not judging!”
“Who said the middle is off-limits? Let’s make this a masterpiece mashup!”
“What’s better than one idea? Two ideas battling for space on the same paper!”
“Ta-da! The ‘Midline Masterpiece’ is complete. And yes, it’s a collaborative chaos we love!”
“So, whose side was better? Let the art critique commence!”
“Say ‘cheese’! Or ‘crayons’! Whichever gets the biggest smile!”
These pictures are from the first community trial, held a few days ago. We provided the activity to the youth mobilizer in the form of a document, without any additional support. Our goal was to evaluate whether the instructions were clear and self-explanatory enough for them to conduct the activity independently. While observing the activity, I realized that everything you’d expect in a collaborative effort played out during this simple 1-hour session. There was even some friction. The pair struggled to agree on what to draw. At the start, we had explained that while the goal was a unified drawing, it was perfectly fine for each person to express their own ideas separately on their half.
The best part came during the reflection at the end. The conversations aligned with the learning objectives of Midline Masterpiece, which aims to foster teamwork and collaboration. At the same time, we gained insights into what could be improved to make the activity more accessible and understandable for everyone. To learn more about the work at my host Project Potential, and how we engage youth in multi-dimensional learning experiences, feel free to check out another blog!
Rural India Youth Leadership is a two-year experience for 25 young people who will be on a journey of leadership and learning that will enable them to form youth clubs and through the clubs, nurture 400+ grassroots youth leaders. RIYL program is designed and managed by Project Potential in Kishanganj district of Bihar.
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