JAMAITYACADEMY

Doughnut Economy · Facilitator resources

Printable worksheets

Every activity from the handbook, written as a sheet you can print and take into the room. Each one lists the goal, materials, steps and debrief questions.

↓ Download the full handbook (PDF)

Step into the Doughnut

Goal Give participants an embodied understanding of the model and awareness of its zones.

Materials Two long ropes, open floor space, factor posters, marker pens.

Steps

  1. Lay the two ropes on the floor as two concentric rings — the social foundation and the ecological ceiling.
  2. Place factor posters (water, health, education, climate, pollution, biodiversity) around the rings.
  3. Read a situation aloud and ask participants to stand where they think their community sits.
  4. Ask reflection prompts: what pulls you below the inner ring, what pushes you past the outer ring?
  5. Share in pairs, then collect insights with the whole group.

Debrief questions

  • Which zone did your community end up in most often?
  • Which factor surprised you the most?
  • What is one shift that would move you into the safe space?

Facilitator notes

Group Work by Theme

Goal Team up around one dimension of the doughnut and link it to local issues.

Materials Theme cards, flipcharts, markers, local data examples.

Steps

  1. Divide participants into small groups and give each a theme card (waste, water, housing, work, equity).
  2. Each group answers two questions: where are we now, and what can we do?
  3. Groups map their answers on a flipchart, with facts from the local data examples where possible.
  4. Each group presents to the whole room in three minutes.

Debrief questions

  • Which theme has the most immediate local impact?
  • Which actions could be started this month with no budget?
  • Where do two themes affect each other?

Facilitator notes

Role Play — the City Debate

Goal Apply the model to a real decision through role play, using Amsterdam as the reference case.

Materials Amsterdam case summary, role cards, timer.

Steps

  1. Present the Amsterdam City Doughnut example briefly.
  2. Hand out roles: mayor, climate activist, small business owner, resident, youth worker.
  3. Give the group a proposal to debate, for example a new circular waste scheme.
  4. Run the debate for 20 minutes with the facilitator chairing.
  5. Take a vote, then step out of role.

Debrief questions

  • Whose needs were hardest to protect in the debate?
  • Which arguments used the social foundation, and which used the ecological ceiling?
  • What would you change about the proposal now?

Facilitator notes

City Portrait Canvas

Goal Assess your own city or town through local and global, social and ecological lenses.

Materials Large paper divided into four quadrants, sticky notes, pens.

Steps

  1. Draw four quadrants: local social, local ecological, global social, global ecological.
  2. In small groups, fill each quadrant with what thriving would look like here.
  3. Mark with a different colour where the reality currently falls short.
  4. Pick the three gaps the group feels most able to influence.

Debrief questions

  • Which quadrant was hardest to fill, and why?
  • Who else in town would need to be at this table?
  • What is the first small step for one chosen gap?

Facilitator notes

Debrief and Reflection

Goal Turn the experience of the session into personal next steps.

Materials Post-its, reflection sheets, flipchart.

Steps

  1. In pairs, participants answer three guiding questions on their reflection sheet.
  2. Each pair writes one highlight and one open question on post-its.
  3. Cluster the post-its on the flipchart and read them out.
  4. Close by asking each person for one action they will take within a month.

Debrief questions

  • What idea will you carry out of this room?
  • What is still unclear or unconvincing to you?
  • Who will you do your next step with?

Facilitator notes