Partner Introductions to Start a Group
Partner Introductions is a simple, structured and powerful activity to get to know each other in a new group in formation.
Use a random method to divide your group into pairs. Explain that you will shortly invite each pair to sit down and have a good chat with each other, and in particular, share a set of interesting conversation-starter topics.
Invite each person to share a prescribed set of information (at a minimum) about themselves to their partner. A few suggested conversation starters include:
- Name, hometown, job/profession
- That part of the world they would describe as paradise
- A favourite movie, book or song
- Something exciting they would like to do
Importantly, tell everyone that their goal is to not only share this information (at a minimum), but also to remember what their partner shared. Allow the pairs up to 10 minutes to share.
After ten minutes, gather your group, sit or stand in a circle. Ask one person to start by introducing their partner, after which their partner reciprocates.
This pair is then entitled to randomly nominate the next pair to continue the introductions. Continue until everyone has been introduced.
The topics of this publication: integration, interactions, active listening, memory
