Tax – what is it good for?

Session objective: Learners build on the last step of the previous activity, and have an opportunity to connect personally with the purposes that tax serves in their community. They also get to do some outdoor learning which is very likely to be highly impactful.

Learning objective(s): Learners will –

• Understand deeply one of the 4 Rs of tax; revenue.
• Have identified at least 3 services in their local community that tax revenue provides or supports.
• Have identified a public service that is unavailable in their community.

Time required: 1.5 hours

Group size: 24 overall is ideal , 8 x small groups of 3

Materials required:

• Camera-phone, one per group
• Projector and screen if doing step 9 [optional]

Methodology:

1. Asks the group to think of a public service that they are personally grateful for in their community. The more personal it is, the better, for example: “The time my partner got help to give birth safely” or “A good road for me to take my goods to market”, or “the school I was educated in.”
2. Distribute sheets of paper and ask participants to write the words ‘tax pays for’ followed by just one public service that they have named as most important to them, for example “Tax pays for healthcare so that people close to me can give birth safely.”
3. Give everyone blu-tak and ask them to stick their sheet on a wall around the room.
4. Ask everyone to go around the room and read everyone else’s contributions.
5. Give each person 3 sticky dots and ask them to place their 3 dots on the services that mean the most to them, placing one on their own one.
6. Ask them to get back into their groups of 3 from earlier.
7. Give very clear instructions for the next few steps, including what time they should be back. Make sure at least one person per group has a camera phone with enough battery. If not, rearrange the groups.
8. Give groups 5 minutes to make a plan for what streets they want to go to and what types of public services they want to find. Encourage them to think broadly and try to notice things on their walk that they might usually take for granted.
9. [Optional] Tell groups they need to send all pictures to the facilitator – easiest is via WhatsApp and then download them via WhatsApp Web. Alternatively, use email. The facilitator, while the group is out, creates a powerpoint presentation of the pictures. If doing this step, you need a projector, laptop and connector.
10. Groups leave for outside the venue to take photos of public services that are funded at least in part by government revenue. 
11. Take a short break after they return.
12. On returning from the activity, the facilitator organises a sharing session with participants, asking them:

• What did you find?
• Are you satisfied with the level of service provision in this area and/or your home area? Why/why not?
• Which services are missing in your area?
• Which services in your area are public and which private?
• What would you do about the missing public services?

More detailed information and guidance for trainers:

The facilitator should be very sensitive to accessibility needs and mobility constraints of participants. Make sure not to put anybody on the spot by asking the whole group ‘is there anyone here with mobility issues?’ or similar. Some disabilities are invisible. Ensure that they are aware that this activity is optional, and for anyone who doesn’t want to or isn’t in a position to take part, facilitate them to stay back and do remote research instead.