Common Glossary

Purpose of the activity: creating a common understanding of the topic to be discussed and enhancing an atmosphere of trust.

One of the most important aspects and elements of any activity, session or training is the language used by trainers. It is of utmost importance that any participant “speaks the same language”, whether a staff member, a youth worker or a participant. In the case of the CommUnity Project, this meant assessing the participants’ knowledge of the most used terms in the field of radicalisation and ensuring that all the participants had the same understanding of these terms to avoid any miscommunications during the various programs. Creating the Glossary of Common Keywords on a particular topic empowers the participants, gives them the feeling that they “have” the knowledge, and makes them less insecure or hesitant to use and asking questions about those keywords, and allows them to take a more active role in the rest of the program. Furthermore, identifying, discussing, and avoiding the terms that may offend the target group and participants from the start creates an atmosphere of goodwill and trust.

Curious and looking for more information on creating a “Common Glossary”? Check out the Methodological Guide 👉 https://www.thecommunityproject.eu/community-methodological-guide/