Activity goal: To create a safe space where participants can anonymously express concerns, tensions, misunderstandings, or sensitive issues that are affecting the group. This activity helps to identify the “elephants in the room” so they can later be discussed respectfully and constructively.

Preparation:

• Small pieces of paper or post-it notes (at least one per participant)
• Pens or pencils (one per participant)
• A closed box, jar, or container
• A quiet and calm space for the group discussion

Make sure everyone understands the papers are anonymous — this is key to building trust.

Start of the activity: Clearly explain the metaphor to the group: “Sometimes there are things that everyone notices but no one says out loud. It could be a conflict, an uncomfortable feeling, something that keeps happening, or just a worry. We call this ‘the elephant in the room’ — something big that’s clearly there, but everyone pretends not to see.”

Implementation: Anonymous writing: Ask each participant to think of an ‘elephant’ they perceive in the group, the camp, or the activity. It could be:

• An unresolved conflict or tension
• A recurring uncomfortable behaviour
• A situation people avoid talking about
• Something they feel is being left unsaid

Important: Remind them to write without naming individuals or offending anyone:

• “I feel like some people’s voices are not being heard.”
• “There’s tension between two people, and we don’t know how to act.”
• “There’s an issue with cleanliness that nobody talks about.”

Once they finish, they fold their paper and place it in the container.

Wrap up/Debrief: The facilitator (or a trusted person) opens the box and reads each note aloud, one at a time. After each reading, allow a brief group discussion with prompts such as:

• Does this ‘elephant’ feel familiar to us?
• How might we address this issue together?
• What can we do to help the group function better?

Remember: The goal is not to point fingers, but to find shared solutions. If there are many similar notes, you can group related topics and prioritize the most urgent ones.

Then ask the participants to reflect individual on the following:

• How did I feel hearing these ‘elephants’?
• Can I commit to something small to improve the group atmosphere?

You can close with a sharing round where each person offers one idea or action to improve coexistence — only if they feel comfortable doing so.

Materials:

• Small papers or post-its (at least one per person),
• Pens or pencils,
• A closed box, jar, or container,
• A calm space for group discussion.