Caterpillar

The facilitator leads the group through the protocol, reading and then carrying out each point, one after the other. The facilitator will be an outsider, responsible for the smooth running of the exercise and the physical safety of the participants.

• Line up one behind the other, hands on the shoulders of the person in front, to form a human caterpillar.

• Close your eyes. The person at the head of the caterpillar is the only one whose eyes are open.

• The person at the head of the caterpillar leads the group with a listening ear, is responsible for the well-being of all caterpillar members, takes care not to walk too fast or too slowly, and avoids going into areas that are impossible to access. The idea is to walk together like a caterpillar, organically moving forward with each link in its body.

• After two minutes, signal a change of head of the caterpillar by touching the shoulder of the leading participant. She detaches herself silently from the caterpillar and rejoins as the tail of the caterpillar.

• Ensure that each person occupies each position in the caterpillar at least one time.

• Leave two minutes between each change.

• Encourage the leading person to explore the space and avoid repetitive itineraries.

• The only member of the caterpillar to remain open eyed is the tail. She directs the caterpillar by giving impulses to the shoulders of the person in front who repeats the gesture until it reaches the head. Change places using the same procedure.

Take time for each person to discuss how the game went, how they felt and their comfort level in each position (as the head, the body or the tail of the caterpillar).
If the group is large, a time limit can be suggested.

As the loss of sight can be destabilizing, the facilitator may suggest starting gently and slowly, so that everyone can get used to it.

Adapted from an exercise discovered during a Kollektiv taktik training session.