Informed consent
Introduce participants to the principles of informed consent. Practice setting boundaries in a safe, fictional scenario.
Duration: 55 minutes for a group of 10. Introduction: 15 minutes. Pairwork: 15 minutes. Sharing results: 2 minutes per pair. Summary: 15 minutes.
Difficulty level: 4/5
Preparation
Participants work in pairs. In each pair, one person will play the role of a Storyteller, and the other will play the role of the Interviewer.
Print Informed Consent Checklist - one per pair.
Check out our guide Responsible Story-sharing.
Introduction (15 minutes)
Begin by explaining the concept of informed consent and its importance when engaging in story-sharing activities, especially in a professional or formal setting, where ethical considerations, privacy, and respect for personal experiences are crucial.
In the exercise, the Interviewer’s task is to create a scenario in which they are professionals wishing to learn more about a sensitive topic. They could play the role of a journalist, anthropologist, artist, or writer. The topic can involve personal experiences, trauma, or controversial issues.
The Storyteller prepares a short fictional story that includes sensitive elements. It is important that the Storyteller has full control over the story and can share it in a conscious and comfortable way.
Instructions
The Interviewer and the Storyteller role-play a fictional situation in which informed consent is obtained for an interview (15 minutes).
The Interviewer provides key information regarding how the story will be collected, stored, and used.
The Storyteller asks questions about the interview, expresses doubts and concerns, and sets conditions under which they would be willing to share their story.
Both parties collaboratively establish the conditions for consent to the story, considering any doubts and reservations.
The Interviewer’s task is to ensure the Storyteller understands all the rules and is fully aware of their decision. The pairs can look up the Informed Consent Checklist.
Once both parties feel comfortable and clearly understand the rules, they can start the interview.
After the exercise, each pair briefly shares their experience of the game.
Wrap-up
Ask participants to share their impressions:
What role did they play?
What crossed their boundaries?
When did they feel comfortable?