Participatory Methods

Representación abstracta de la metodología participativa Una oración al día. Collage simple con frases breves escritas a mano en hojas dispersas sobre una superficie, representando las voces diversas de un grupo escribiendo cada día una frase compartida.

One Sentence a Day

One Sentence a Day is a participatory activity that creates a daily space for connection, reflection, and collective creativity. Each participant contributes one sentence (a short phrase) per day over a set period of time, on an agreed-upon topic or freely chosen, in order to collaboratively build a text, mural, archive, manifesto, or shared log. This practice encourages writing, listening, and shared thinking, promoting sustained commitment and collective creation.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Encourage shared reflection and collective construction through daily writing.
    • Establish a daily expression habit among group members.
    • Build a group work or memory based on brief, consistent contributions.
  2. Prepare the materials:
    • Large notebook or mural (for in-person sessions).
    • Cards, sticky notes, or individual pieces of paper.
    • Markers, pens, or pencils.
    • Device or app for digital records (for virtual sessions).
  3. Set up the space:
    • If in person, create a visible area where sentences can be added each day (a corner, wall, bulletin board, or window).
    • If digital, choose a platform where each participant can write their daily sentence.
  4. To facilitate virtually:
    • Use collaborative platforms or digital forms where participants can submit their daily sentence.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduce the activity
    • Explain the dynamic and its duration (e.g., 5 days, one week, one month).
    • Decide whether there will be daily prompts or if sentences will be free-form.
  2. Start the daily writing
    • Each day, each participant writes a sentence related to the daily topic or something they want to share.
    • The sentence should be brief, clear, and reflect the day or an experienced emotion.
  3. Build the collective archive
    • Sentences are grouped by day and added to a shared format (mural, notebook, whiteboard, or digital file).
  4. Closing the experience
    • Read all gathered sentences aloud or turn them into a collective artwork (collage, video, poster, group poem).
    • Reflect on the shared learnings, emotions, and discoveries.
Recommendations
  • Choose a fixed time to record the daily sentence.
  • Encourage participation with examples at the beginning.
  • Remind everyone that there are no right or wrong sentences.
  • Celebrate consistency rather than perfection.
  • Invite participants to reread the whole collection at the end to appreciate the diversity of voices.
Inspiration

Possible Thematic Approaches:

  • A sentence that expresses gratitude.
  • A sentence that begins with “Today I learned…”
  • A sentence inspired by an image or word of the day.
  • A sentence about the context I live in.
  • A sentence for the future.

Creative Variations for the Activity:

  • Turn the sentences into verses of a collective poem.
  • Combine each sentence with an image or drawing.
  • Highlight one sentence per day to spark group conversation.
  • Create a “sky of sentences” by hanging them on strings.
  • Use a daily sentence as a prompt for artistic activities or discussions.
Materials
  • Notebook mural or flip chart
  • Individual papers or post-its
  • Markers or pencils
  • Digital platforms for collaborative writing (for virtual settings)
Online platforms
Purpose

The purpose of One Sentence a Day is to encourage daily expression, strengthen the connection among participants, and collectively build a symbolic memory through brief phrases. It promotes listening, consistency, creativity, and collective commitment, creating an intimate and sustained space for participation

Type of activity
Level of participation
Collaboration, Empowerment, Collective implementation, Exchange of perspectives
Target audience
Educators, Facilitators, Students, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Organizational and business management, Health and social well-being, Art, culture, and creativity, Innovation and design, Research and evaluation, Conflict resolution, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
Ongoing activity (for example, 7 days, 30 days, etc.)
Ideal number of participants
From 5 to 30 participants
Topics related to this activity
Active ReflectionCollaborative GameCollaborative ReflectionCollective ConstructionCollective DocumentationCollective ReflectionCreative CommunicationGamificationGroup EnergizerIcebreaker ActivityIdea OrganizationParticipatory DialogueParticipatory DocumentationParticipatory InteractionPositive CommunicationReflectionTeam CollaborationTeam CreativityTeam-Building ActivitiesWord Game
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