roleplay

The work of giving can be serious business, but it doesn’t always have to be. 21/64, in partnership with Youth Philanthropy Connect & The Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation, created roleplay as a tool to help you leverage an often overlooked way to explore your role in philanthropy: play. This interactive tool helps users gain awareness of how they act in different roles — both personally and as a funder — to make mindful choices about the roles they want to play. Neuroscience shows that play relaxes our brains and leads to better problem solving. Giving people something they can touch and move can spark understanding and make heady, conceptual ideas more accessible. It can also benefit relationships, as play opens us to clarity, creativity and new ways to communicate with others. According to psychologist Stephen Treat, parents who play with their young children have a better chance at bonding with their adult children. In addition, play researcher Bob Fagan has said that play “generates optimism, fosters empathy and promotes a sense of belonging and community”. These are some of the very same traits cultivated in philanthropy. roleplay is a great exercise for youth and next gen funders, families who give together, foundation boards or junior boards, giving circles, and groups who make decisions together. roleplay is an interactive toolkit designed for 10 users and comes inside a branded, sleek chrome carry case, which includes:

• 4 Miniatures: these small toys are spread out on a table (or floor) and users can choose from a selection such as animals, monuments, sea creatures and vehicles to represent the dreamed and dreaded roles they play in their giving.
• 1 Activity Mats: participants use the mat in the exercise to explore these roles, what they can learn from their aspirations, and how these versions of themselves interact with others.
• 1 Facilitator’s Guide: families, groups and advisors can engage in the roleplay exercise with the easy, step-by-step instructions and explanations provided in this detailed how-to manual.