With pieces of fairtrade chocolate as a prize the challenge is how can the students win as much as possible. Setting-up the activity emphasizes the winwin nature, and must not mention competition or arm-wrestling. It uses simple and careful instructions.

Giving the instructions. winwin 1.mov

The game players (students or adults) automatically think it is a competitive arm-wrestle, and play to win or lose, egged on by the audience.

Playing to win and lose. winwin 2.mov

The number of chocolate pieces won are recorded. The audience can then be asked how could the players have won more chocolate?

Appealing to the audience for help. winwin 3.mov

Someone from the audience will come up with the idea of the two players working together, either going backwards and forwards with their arms, and winning equal amounts, or more riskily coming to an agreement when only one player ‘wins’ but shares the chocolate.

A suggestion of co-operation. winwin 4.mov

With volunteer counters the winwin solution becomes a frenetic attempt to get as much chocolate as possible. Normally enough to share around to everyone.

The winwin solution. winwin 5.mov

A discussion on how they won brings up issues of co-operation, making an agreement, sharing, planning beforehand. It can also be important to explain that the set-up was manipulative, that adults and young people all start off competing!

This activity demonstrates very effectively the idea of co-operation helping to create winwin situations.