Variations

Variation 1

Some teams have adapted this exercise, and asked participants first to draw their own individual timeline without labeling the events in their lives.

Then with a partner of the same sex, participants shared their timelines, choosing which events to highlight or skip in the explanation.

Once the pairs have finished, the facilitator asked the larger group to share their timeline.

Variation 2

This exercise may also be conducted privately through an interview, where participants listed their major life events and plotted them along the timeline. Discussions may then probe into instances where participants felt powerful or powerless, happy or sad.

Example - West Balkans, Exploring Dimensions of Masculinity and Violence

In a workshop with adolescent urban boys, facilitators engaged semi-structured interviews to explore the following questions based on life timelines:

• Based on the timeline, the interviewer asked the interviewee to recount the major social events or rites from childhood through adolescence to manhood, noting the age each occurred and how it was experienced. The participant plots each key event on his timeline
• For the high and low points marked on the timeline, the interviewer asked:
  • What did you learn from these experiences?
  • What or who helped you?
  • What else could have been helpful to you?

Transitioning from the timeline, the interviewer probed:

• Thinking back on your life, are there any experiences you would be willing to share with me when you noticed:
  • Male peers using violence against other men? What was the situation and what did you understand about the reasons for the use of violence?
  • Male peers using violence against women? What was the situation and what did you understand about the reasons for the use of violence?
  • Male peers using violence against themselves? What was the situation and what did you understand about the reasons for the use of violence?
• Thinking back on your life, are there any experiences you would be willing to share with me when you used violence against others?
  • [If yes]:
    • What was the situation?
    • Probe→ Who was involved?
    • Probe→ How did it affect you?
    • Probe→ How did it affect the other person?
    • Probe→ Who did you tell about it?
    • Probe→ What did you do afterwards?
  • [If no]: Have there been situations in your life where you felt tempted to, but decided not to use violence? Why? (or, if no, why do you think that is?)
  • Do you think that the way your parents raised you or your home situation affected this choice? Were there other reasons?
• Thinking back on your life, are there any experiences you would be willing to share with me when you experienced violence yourself?
  • Probe→ What was the situation?
  • Probe→ How did it affect you?
  • Probe→ Who did you tell about it?
  • Probe→ What did you do afterwards?
• What advice would you give to other young men about dealing with violence?
• What advice would you give to us as an organization that wants to prevent violence

Variation 3: River of Life

Rather than a timeline, in this variation, participants draw their life story as a river.

On the banks, they illustrate what factors and experiences have contributed to their growth, with key events illustrated downstream until today. This method can illustrate:

• Challenging times when the river has narrowed or become rocky
• Significant twists and turns that have shaped a person's life path.

Once participants have drawn their life story, the facilitator interviews the illustration, and probes for themes and key events in a person's life.