There are two main ways of using this activity: one is to have pre- prepared cards with information on them that you want the participants to consider; the other is to ask participants to write their own comments/ideas/reflections/insights on a card.

You will need a supply of small cards, one for each person. Each person will need a pen or pencil, there needs to be space for people to freely move around, and a bell or whistle or music to indicate when to swap the cards and when to stop.

• Introduce the topic to be explored

• Either hand out the pre-prepared cards, or invite participants to select a key insight/comment/question and write it on one side of a small index card

• Explain the voting procedure – in pairs they will be giving each of the two cards a score out of 7 (no halves allowed, 7 = highest score)

• Everybody stands – they each have their card and a pen

• Ask people to start swapping their card with others

(keep this happening at a fast pace, calling out Swap! Swap! Swap! Avoid people trying to read as they swap)

• After 30 seconds or so ring the bells and form random pairs. Vary the time for swapping with each round.

• Compare the statements on the two cards and allocate points out of 7. Write the score on the back of the card.

• Start swapping again and continue until 5 rounds have been completed.

• Ask participants to add up the scores on the back of the card they have in the final round. The maximum score is 35.

• Hear what’s written on the cards from the highest score to the lowest.