Group Activities to Raise Awareness around Housing Instability

Holding a Sleep Out?

We’ve compiled a list of engaging, thought-provoking activities originally distributed by NAEHCY that are meant to help your group understand the events that can lead to homelessness and what it’s like to not have a permanent home. Note: Some activities may require extra materials or preparation – be sure to review them to make sure they’re the right choice for your Sleep Out!

CHOOSE IT OR LOSE IT
Imagine you and your family were just told that you have 10 minutes to vacate your home. You can take only whatever you can fit into a backpack. What things would you take with you? What things would be hard to leave behind?

Discussion Questions:

• Why did you choose the items you took and left behind?
• How did it feel to make your choices?
• How will you do without the things you left behind?
• Where will you get the things you need but no longer have?

Adopted from “What Would You Take?” in What’s It Like to be Homeless? An Educational Curriculum Guide for Children and Youth, Bridge Communications, Glen Ellyn, IL, 2004.

WHAT’S IN YOUR BACKPACK?
Share a backpack that could belong to a homeless student. In small groups, study the items in the backpack. Discuss possible reasons why the student would carry these items with him. Possible items to include in backpack: empty beer can, toothbrush, spray paint, small stuffed animal, toy police car, ketchup packets, clothing items, flashlight, pencil, makeup, baby bottle.

Discussion Questions:

• Would you be surprised to find these items in a student’s backpack?
• Did others in your group think of reasons you did not?
• How might a homeless student’s backpack be different from the backpacks of their housed peers?

LOCKED OUT
At some point in your Sleep Out program, give participants a 5 minute break. Encourage them to get up, stretch, and walk around the building. Once the participants have left the room, lock the door so that they are not able to get back into the room after the break. Leave the participants outside for an additional 5-10 minutes, before finally letting them back in.

Discussion Questions:

• How did it feel to be locked out?
• What caused those feelings?
• What items did you leave inside that you wish you had taken with you?

TREATS AND TRICKS
Before the group gathers, place bowls of candy or other snacks on some the tables. Invite participants at the tables with bowls to enjoy the treats throughout the exercise, but require them to keep them at their own table.

Discussion Questions:

• How did you feel about the way in which the candy was distributed?
• Were you treated fairly?
• Did some people give their candy away to a table without? Why or why not? How did this feel?
• How does this relate to wealth in our society?

MOVE IT
After about 10 minutes of your Sleep Out program, ask group members to check under their chairs for a colored dot. Instruct those with a red dot to exchange seats with each other. After another 10 minutes instruct those same group members to change seats with someone with a blue dot. After another 10 minutes instruct those same participants to move their chair to a table already full.

Discussion Questions:

• How did it feel to having to keep moving seats?
• When were you glad to move? When were you unhappy to move? Why?
• How did you feel when others were able to remain at their seats while you had to move?
• What was it like when you had to add to an already full table? How did it make you feel?