Identity/Individual Differences- "THE ONION"

Description of the tool

1st Step: Me and My Identity:
The participants are shown the sample onion, composed of a center and 2 different layers of different colors. They are asked to cut their own onion. They should try to imagine themselves as the onion now, where each layer will be a different aspect of their identity. (From the centre, the things that they have from birth and difficult to change, the middle, things that are either from birth or gained later and difficult to change; the outer, things that are gained later and posibble to change). They are given 10 minutes to think and form their onion.
2nd Step: My onion-Your onion
Participants are asked to get into pairs with someone else; compare their onions, discuss about the common and different things-(15 minutes)
3rd Step: OUR Onion
The pairs are asked to form groups of 6 people (3 pairs together) and try to do the same thing as a bigger group this time. Moreover, this time they also try to create their group onion-(25 minutes)
4th Step: Let's Share
The groups get back to the plenary to share their group onions. If there are other groups sharing similar identities, they go for a Mexican wave? 10 minutes
5th Step: Let's Digest- 30 minutes
Individual work:
How is it when you were forming your onion? Difficult? Easy?
How did you choose the most important part of your identity?
Why are they important?
What is the place of your identity in the society?
Group work:
Was it easier/more difficult compared to individual work?
How did you choose the common identities?
Does everybody feel being represented in the group onion?
Are we all different?