Two premieres: End of September 2023 we tried out a new concept of ML implementation while at the same time we qualified seven new facilitators in implementing the method. We want to take the chance to report you our experience. The implementation took place in the framework of a Erasmus+ KA1 youth trainers workshop.
The facilitators training
Right before the implementation we had three days of upskilling the new facilitators and prepare the implementation together. The ToT-Workshop contained the following elements:
- Introduction in EduLARP principles
- Objectives of ML
- Intersectionality principles
- Logistics: capacity, location, resources, material, printing, space-allocation
- Safety and interventions
- Self care for the facilitators and team-play
- Introductory methods
- Game introduction
- Role-play introduction and methods
- Preparation of materials
- Setting up the play-space with items and materials
- Debriefing:
- General overview – steps of the debriefing, choose the methods, how to implement each method, preparation of materials
- How to facilitate the debriefing in a good way? How to deal with strong emotions & conflicts?
- After implementation evaluation with feedback for the learners and the trainers
The Implementation
The implementation had a 3 1/2 day workshop format. It took place in a countryside in northern Hesse. The group of players/learners had been accommodated in a independent facility form the ML playground. Welcome, get to know each other and Introduction have been applied in the accommodation facility (a guest-house with seminar room). Also the introduction into the game started in this facility where we distributed the roles, prepared the players and allocated the “”embassy” as the first station of the game. When the game started the player have been close to the embassy and the smugglers have been as well around there. The players had different opportunities of getting to Minosia according to their characters background. 
After getting a visa or not / not needed some had the option to get to Minosia via “Taxi” others could use the service of smugglers that showed them the way or guided them, a third group of individuals had to find the way to Minosia on themselves.
But Minosia was not just around the corner located. The signs pointed up the mountain at the foot of which the embassy was located. 160 altitude meters to climb up a forest trail. 
When they arrived at the ML house the entrance was blocked from the police… border control! … the game continued it’s way. Some characters found their way quickly other needed a couple of time to arrive- more or less exhausted from the way.
The evaluation, first impressions and feedback showed us that this way of simulating a real “migration-process” by setting the embassy and game start in another location as the Minosia country-playground brought a lot of surplus to the game. The players felt their migration process much stronger and they already started to dive into their character deeply by helping each other or taking the advantages of their character as privilege.
Due to the fact that a lot of participants have been from groups with less opportunities, many with migration decent themselves the evaluation and debriefing went on very emotionally and intensive with strong commitments the people made at the end with themselves.
The evaluation with the trained facilitators
Finally we evaluated the training workshop as well with the new facilitators. They gave the feedback, that the skills-workshop was very intense and that the direct implementation afterwards for them a bit scary and as well overwhelming. Next time the training should be separated and a little bit longer.
Some weeks after the event a follow up video-conference evaluation and perspectives meeting took place. This offers good opportunities to rethink the experience made and see what happened to the commitments the participants made.
