Simulation Exercises
Simulation Exercise in Basarabeasca
Evaluation of elections simulation exercise within the project Vote Mock Elections, organized at the theoretical high-school "Matei Basarab" from Basarabeasca , on February 5, 2009, presented by the local trainer Colotinscaia Victoria:
After the simulation of the elections, we can draw certain conclusions.
Positive aspects of the exercise:
- more persons were involved;
- more institutions, parents, teachers, local trainers from Sadaclia,Cenac got involved;
- everything was managed within given time;
- the participants acquired abilities of responsibilities, they came to realize that not everything just happens;
- the pupils and teachers from other schools proved their solidarity;
- we organized the lottery based on the fill-in-invitations for all the voters;
- the teaching staff proved understanding in the implementation of the project in high-school.
Simulation Exercise in Bumbata
The simulation exercise in Bumbata was managed by the national trainer Lia Sclifos
Children of different ages are motivated to participate in such exercises, but their emotional involvement differs. The younger the children, the more involvement there is.
The older pupils are differently perceived by the adult public. That is why it is useful to involve the high-school pupils.
There are both advantages and risks, when the pupils from different schools get together for the exercise.
Advantages:
the children communicate and form new teams that are to cooperate, and in other situations ,it is created a context for a better mobilization; the risk of the stereotypes' influences diminishes amongst children.
Simulation Exercise in Cantemir
The simulation exercise took place on February 20, 2009.
Local Trainers: Vitalie Cirhana and Oleg Ivancioglo
National Trainers: Veronica Cretu, Serghei Lisenco
Coordinator: Victor Koroli
Place: Concert hall of high-school Dm. Cantemir from Cantemir
Some aspects from the Analysis of the simulation exercise in Cantemir, realized by Veronica Cretu
Strong points of the exercise:
The pupils of the XI-XIIth forms took part in the simulation, and they have the right to vote; the 5 April elections will be their first experience of taking part in voting; the number of participants correspond to the indicators.
The local trainers were involved in the activity – by clearly distributing the roles.
The debates took place in an organized way.
About 16-17 questions were given by the initiative groups.
The exercise was attended by local trainers from Tartaul and Carpesti.
The members of the groups were motivated to participate by bringing five adults each, so that they can benefit from a trip around Moldova.
A lottery was organized, which challenged the voters to wait for the voting results.
Difficulties/problems/challenges
The trainers are not from Cantemir – it was difficult for them to lead the initiative groups during the activity on the problems, to focus on specific issues.
Simulation Exercise in Cenac
Some elements from the simulation exercise in Cenac on February 21
Report compiled by Sergiu Lisenco, national trainer
The preparation for the simulation took about three weeks. The group of participants ganthered about three times a week.
As a result, they elaborated two projects: the arrangement of the centre of the village Cenac and the clearing of the local spring.
The results of the voting procedure, 82/84 aroused certain negative emotions from the pupils and teachers, who were involved in the exercise. The teachers claimed that it were good if the number of votes was equal.
Final conclusions:
The local trainers very well realized the tasks they had to comply with. The success of the event was determined by the involvement of more persons in its organization.
It is important , like in other localities, that the trainers use all the opportunities to involve sa many people in the preparation of the exercise as possible.
The voting procedure can be simplified, but the voting period should be strictly settled, or at least, to make an announcement that there are five minutes left till the end of the activity.
In case when a small musical event is prepared beforehand by the local participants, it can be performed during the voting procedure, only if the people moving do not hinder the perfomance.
Simulation Exercise in Edinet
The simulation exercise in Edinet was organized on February 24, 2009.
The local trainers are Rodelia Vasilcov, Ikim Diana
Some elements from the Report compiled by the national trainer DORIAN FURTUNA
The exercise was attended by about 300 people (20% adults). We displayed and distributed posters, leaflets and other promotional materials.
The audience proved very active, eager to intervene with questions and lengthen the duration.
There were 280 voters registered, 266 bulletins issued, 260 valid votes. The results: 160 to 100.
The simualtion exercise was very useful, the people realized the necessity of getting involved in the social life of the community, developed their communicative abilities and acquired knowledge about identification of problems and campaign initializing.
Simulation Exercise in Manoilesti
Analysis/reflection of the simulation exercise, which took place on February 27, 2009, in Manoilesti, Ungheni.
National Trainers: LIA SCLIFOS, SERGIU LISENCO
The voting procedure included 273 persons: 110 voters pleaded for the arrangement of the reading hall, 163 voters pleaded for the arrangement of the gym.
The main indicators have been reached. The exercise was promoted by the distribution of the invitations: every pupil was to hand it over to his parents and grandparents. These were confirming their presence by signing the invitation. The public was very well informed about the specific of the exercise and displayed the support for the pupils and the proposed solutions.
The members of the locality have the experince of discussing community problems in groups – this fact contributed to the presence in the hall of more citizens. The promotion of the exercise also involved the workers from the kindergarten.
The pupils' speeches were well structured and proven. The pupils realized surveys, used statistics data. The poblems, solutions presented by the pupils were concrete and possible to realize.
Certain factors of decision of the community held speeches: the mayor, the school director, the DGI director, the representative of the district council Ungheni.
Conclusions:
The exercise was successfully realized (the indicators settled in the project are attained); the suucess of the exercise was insured by the involvement of the teaching staff, the experience of tackling problems in groups. It is easier for the children to get involved in the discussions over simple and concrete solutions, not those referring to the renovation of the roads; the methods of involving the people should be more creative, adapted to the specific of the community.
Simulation Exercise in Ruseni
Analysis/reflection of the simulation exercise, which took place on March 1, 2009, Ruseni, Edinet.
National Trainers: LIA SCLIFOS, SERGIU LISENCO
The promotion stage included invitations taken by the pupils to their parnets and grandparents. All the teachers were involved at this stage. The teams addressed the local auhtorities for a letter of support.
The voting procedure included 123 persons: 133 bulletins were issued, but certain people left without voting. As many as 49 persons pleaded for the road renovation and 75 - for the renovation of the old cemetery from the centre of the village.
The main indicators were attained. At first, it was difficult to involve the participants: the moderator formulated some questions and asked the mayor's opinion. After that, the public displayed some interest and became more active. The pupils, the representatives of the initiative groups, had structured and proven speeches. But the solving part was less cocrete, without calculi regarding the necessary resources: number of people, material and financial resources, time. The local citizens are not used to activities of this character: it was noticed by more aprticipants: pupils, old people, teachers, the mayor.
It is a good experience, even the letters were general, wihtout concrete promises/obligations.the priest also involved in the exercise and morally supported the citizens.
Conclusions:
The exercise was successfully realized (the indicators settled in the project are attained); the success of the exercise was insured by the involvement of the teaching staff, the experience of tackling problems in groups. It is easier for the children to get involved in the discussions over simple and concrete solutions, not those referring to the renovation of the roads; the methods of involving the people should be more creative, adapted to the specific of the community.
Simulation Exercise in Sadaclia
Some analysis elements from the simulation exercise in Sadaclia, which took place on February 28, 2009.
National Trainers: SERGIU LISENCO, LIA SCLIFOS
The voting procedure included 235 people. The results: one non-valid vote, 74 persons voted for the creation of a centre of recreation, 160 pleaded for the renovation of the roads.
The people's participation in voting was insured by informing and mobilizing the teaching staff. The class monitors orgnized parents' meetings, where they presented the exercise and invited the parnets to the general meeting. The exerc ise became an integralpart of the general meeting called «The Civic education».
The teams prepared the speeches, small presentations in Power Point, models, posters. The public involved rather successfully in the discussons. The local architect addressed concrete questions about the specific of the proects and the necessary resources.
A most interestign question arose during the debates: the degree of using the current resources, the House of Culture, recently renovated, and the gym.
Certain difficulties were caused by the complexity of the problems and identified solutions: the pupils are not competent enough in technical details, calculi, etc.
Conclusions:
The exercise was realized successfully. The success was insured by the involveemnt of the teaching staff, the experience of tackling subjects in groups; it is easier for the children to prepare speeches on simpler and more concete solutions, not so large as the road renovation.
The methods of involving the population should be more creative, adapted to the specific of the community. The exercise has excellent results, when it is a first stage in a problem solving, not just «an activity».
Simulation Exercise in Tartaul
Simulation Exercise in Tartaul on March 6, 2009
Realization of objectives of the simulation exercise
The simulation exercise held on March 6, in Tartaul realized the proposed objective of the project: to make the community members aware of the importance to participate in the 5 April elections, as well as to gather about 100 people for the exercise. Overall, the exercise involved 260 people, meaning those enlisted in the electoral lists. The members of the community perceived the importance of the exercise for them and replied to the invitation of participating in the event. The mayor was also surprised to see how many people were attracted by the activity.
The image of the community, of the initiative groups towards the simulation exercise
The members of the community that were questioned afetr the simulation exercise, said the following:
They came to the event, because:
it referred to their children ;
they received personal invitation from the school administration;
they liked the way the children presented themselves;
they knew the children were going to play “an election game” and they got interested how it would happen,
they came because they need to communicate with other members of the community rather than the local ones.
Realization of objectives of the simulation exercise
Simulation Exercise in Ungheni
Report on the simulation exercise from UNGHENI
National Trainer: LIA SCLIFOS
1.Children of different ages are motivate dto particiapte in such exercises, but their emotional involvement is different, the smaller they are, the more involved they are in the exercise. It should be taken into account so that to avoid forthcoming frustrations.
2.The older pupils are perceived differently by the adults. So, it is useful that the high-school children get involved in these exercises.
3.There are both advantages and risks when pupils from different schools get involved.
Advantages: the children communicate and form new teams, there is a context for a better mobilization amongst the pupils, the level of the risks of stereotypes in cumminations decreases, etc.
Risks:
1. Small involvement of the teaching staff, as there is no responsibility for a result, the feeling of apurtenance to the activity is missing, the pupils' objectives do not manage to become the teachers' objectives and the first need more preparation time to become a team, etc.
2. The adults do not really involve in formulating questiosn and some speeches to support a group or another.
3. There is the necessity to work in this field, to offer a list of questiosn to the participants which they might use during the exercise, and, finally, to explain how useful they are in the real electoral campaigns.
4. the adults that hold speeches to support an idea should not transfer them onto the children. They choose an idea, but they sustain all the children – this is an important message.
5. In order to avoid subject deviations, the time should be striclty settled.
Simulation exercise in Trinca
Some elements from the analysis of the simulation exercise in Trinca, Edinet district.
National Trainer: DORIAN FURTUNA
Place: Theoretical High-school, the concert hall.
Attendance: over 100 persons (80% adults)
Visibility of the campaign: posters, leaflets, texts with quotes and other promotion materials of the teams.
Electoral topics: 1. Lighting the main road, 2. Furcnish the school. Special guests: the mayor of the village Trinca, the director of the high-school, teachers.
Degree of preparation of the teams: one of the teams proves a relatively high level of preparation, against the other: the latter was less professional in formulating questions to its competitor. Anyway, both teams gave sound arguments in the favour of their ideas, as well as practical solutions. No visual techniques were used.
Public involvement: initially, passive, shy. Ultimately, there arouse persons willing to address questions, including the mayor and the school director.
Duration of the exercise: an hour and a half.
Voting procedure: about 115 voting bulletins distributed.
Voting results: 59 to 52. the team that promoted the idea of lighting the road won the contest.
Supporting event: the participants active in the exercise and the authors of the essays on the electons topics were awarded prizes – a 50-lei ticket to purchase shool requisites. Also, a concert was organized by the pupils.
Participants' ultimate impressions: it was a useful exercise, they accumulated communication experience, knowledge about the elections procedure, the acknowledgement of the necessity to participate in voting, knowledge to identify problems and plan campaign.
Recommendations: more attention should be paid to working with the public attending the process.
Simulation Exercise in Carpesti
Simulation Exercise in Parcani
